One measure of Gary Williams’ success as Terrapin men’s basketball coach has been his ability to groom assistants for Division I coaching jobs.

Assistant coach Chuck Driesell will be the latest addition to that list, according to multiple published reports. Driesell, the son of former Terp coach Lefty Driesell, is expected to be named the head coach at The Citadel as early as today.

Driesell would replace Ed Conroy, who accepted the head job at Tulane earlier this month after guiding the Bulldogs to a 16-16 (9-9 Southern Conference) record last season.

An athletics department spokesman at The Citadel would not confirm the hiring yesterday afternoon. But Comcast SportsNet reported the school will introduce Driesell at a 4 p.m. news conference today, and Williams is preparing for the fourth-year assistant and leading recruiting coordinator to move on.

“A lot of really good assistants, they want to be head coaches. That’s what makes them good,” Williams said by phone last night. “Chuck worked hard for a couple years. I’m glad to see it worked out.”

Chuck Driesell, also a former Terps’ player, could not be reached last night. When contacted at his Virginia Beach, Va., home, Lefty Driesell declined to comment until The Citadel makes an official announcement.

Replacing assistants who make the jump to lead their own programs is nothing new for Williams. In the last decade, Vermont’s Mike Lonergan and Loyola’s Jimmy Patsos, among others, have earned head jobs.

The 21st-year coach joked that he’s already had “about 100” calls about his newfound coaching vacancy, but he said he’ll be patient in replacing Driesell. The next NCAA recruiting period doesn’t begin until July.

“We’ve got a chance to do a good job in making a selection,” Williams said.

Driesell, who was hired by Williams in 2006 after two seasons coaching at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Va., would be accepting his first Division I head coaching job. He served as head coach at Division III Marymount from 1997 to 2003, leading the team to a 88-72 record.

The former Terps’ shooting guard also spent three years as a Naval lieutenant after college — a background that likely earned him a leg up at the military school.

Inheriting a Bulldog squad that returns nine rising seniors should help ease Driesell’s expected transition to the new environment.

“That’s what you work hard for in the coaching profession — to run your own program,” Williams said. “Now he’s got his chance.”

edetweiler@umdbk.com